Florida voters' enthusiasm for President Barack Obama is waning a bit, but his 60 - 32 percent
job approval remains strong, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Voters
approve 55 - 36 percent of the President's approach to fixing the economy.

Closer to home, Florida voters prefer 42 - 26 percent that Gov. Charlie Crist seek another
term in Tallahassee rather than the U.S. Senate. The feeling is consistent across the political
spectrum and across the state.

Other potential U.S. Senate candidates on either side of the aisle are virtual unknowns,
the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

President Obama's job approval rating among Floridians is down slightly from 64 - 23
percent in a February 19 Quinnipiac University survey. The biggest change is the increase among
those who disapprove of what he is doing. Obama goes from a negative 33 - 47 percent score
among Republicans in February to a negative 22 - 70 percent today.

"The movement away from President Barack Obama, not surprisingly, comes from those
who are Republicans and consider themselves to be conservatives," said Peter Brown, assistant
director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "But the President's support remains
strong, and the numbers show that tens of thousands of Floridians who didn't vote for him last
November like what he is doing in office."

By a 50 - 43 percent margin, Florida voters say the President's recently announced $1
trillion program to buy bad loans from banks should not be done, identical to the margin of
opposition in a Quinnipiac University national poll earlier this month.

Floridians think 77 - 20 percent that the government should limit the amount of money
that companies that take federal funds pay their executives. Even when companies don't take
government bailout money, 25 percent say the government should limit executive compensation,
while 70 percent oppose such limits. And voters say 47 - 41 percent that directors and
executives of companies that take federal money to survive should not be forced to resign.

The Quinnipiac University national poll April 1 found all American voters, by an 81 - 16
percent margin want to limit pay at companies that took federal money. They oppose 64 - 30
percent limiting pay for companies that don't get federal help, and by a 47 - 44 percent margin,
Americans think those executives and board members at bailed-out firms should be forced out.

"As a group, Floridians seem to be slightly less supportive of government action and
regulation of the private sector," said Brown.

By a 64 - 22 percent margin, Florida voters have a favorable opinion of Gov. Christ, with
his 64 - 19 percent favorability among Democrats and his 65 - 23 percent score among
independent voters as good as his 67 - 24 percent favorability among Republicans.

Voters approve 53 - 33 percent of the way Crist is handling the economy.

"Given the Governor's popularity, he is likely to be a strong candidate for whichever
office he seeks," said Brown. "The other potential candidates for the Senate are not nearly as
well-known or as well-liked as is Crist."

State Sen. Kendrick Meek get 16 percent when Democrats are asked who they want to be
the party's Senate candidate in 2010, with 15 percent for Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. But they are
so unknown that four out of five Floridians have no opinion of them. Except for Crist, a similar
lack of visibility is true on the Republican side also. If Crist stays out of the Senate race U.S.
Rep. Vern Buchanan does best among Republicans, with 16 percent, but 73 percent of all voters
don't know enough about him to form an opinion.

From April 6 - 13, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,332 Florida voters with a margin of
error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. The survey includes 570 Republicans with a margin of error of
+/- 4.1 percentage points and 474 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the
nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed - http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

1. (If registered Democrat) If the 2010 Democratic primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were Pam Iorio, Dan Gelber,
Ron Klein and Kendrick Meek?

TREND: (If registered Democrat)If the 2010 Democratic primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were - Pam Iorio, Dan Gelber,
Ron Klein and Kendrick Meek, for whom would you vote?(na:Not Asked)

2. (If registered Republican) If the 2010 Republican primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were Marco Rubio, Allan Bense
and Vern Buchanan, for whom would you vote?

TREND:(If registered Republican) If the 2010 Republican primary for United
States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Marco Rubio,
Allan Bense and Vern Buchanan, for whom would you vote?(na:Not Asked)

3. (If registered Republican) Suppose Governor Charlie Crist decides to run
for United States Senator. If the 2010 Republican primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were Charlie Crist, Marco
Rubio, Allan Bense and Vern Buchanan, for whom would you vote?

TREND: (If registered Republican) Suppose Governor Charlie Crist decides to
run for United States Senator. If the 2010 Republican primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were - Charlie Crist, Marco
Rubio, Allan Bense and Vern Buchanan, for whom would you vote?(na:Not Asked)

30. The Obama administration just announced a new one trillion dollar program
to buy bad loans from banks. Which comes closer to your view - It should be
done because this is a necessary step to give banks the ability to lend again
so that businesses and individuals can get credit needed to restart the
economy or It should not be done because the program risks too much taxpayer
money and there is no guarantee the taxpayer will ever be paid back?

34. Do you think executives of companies that are taking federal money to
avoid collapse are the victims of circumstances no one could have anticipated,
or are they incompetent, or are they guilty of criminal fraud?

35. As you may know, President Obama has just proposed his budget. Critics
say his budget is too costly because it would double the national debt in ten
years. Supporters say the money is necessary to fix the economic crisis and
address national problems such as education and health care. Which comes
closer to your point of view?